15 YRS OLD INVENTOR CONSTRUCTS A TRAIN; ASKS FOR ASSISTANCE

t where he has his
workshop. As he demonstrates his innovations, one cannot but think that
something great is about to happen in the auto and engineering industry in
Nigerian. The 15 ? year-old Junior Secondary School III Student of Mechanical
Engineering at Agbor Technical College Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area
has been able to produce prototype or toy vehicles, such as sports cars, trucks
of different sizes, helicopters, caterpillars and robots of different sizes. At
his workshop, master Ibodo who uses most of his free time in the afternoon
after school to showcase his talents, would control the caterpillar such that
it would scoop a handful of sand from the ground, move closer to a truck and
load it with the sand. The truck would in turn move some meters away from the
workshop, unload its contents on the, ground and move back to the workshop. The
robot which also is about two feet in hight, would be made to carry a small
plastic bucket of water. It would move some few meters away, and come back to
empty the bucket of water in front of the workshop. The
combat-ready-military-looking helicopter with two blades and not more than two
feet in length, would be made to rise , sometimes about 10 feet above the ground.
It would also be so controlled by the whiz kid that the helicopter would land
gently and safely on the ground. There is also the small sports car which Ibobo
also makes to run up and down the street with its siren blaring, and the
headlamp, beaming, to the admiration of onlookers.

The latest innovation from the young chap, whose
parents are from Otolokpo in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta
State of Nigeria,
is a prototype train with several coaches. The train is made to move on a
circled rail line with its horns blasting, just like a normal train on the move
. how he made all these things to work remains his secret.

According to Ibobo Chukwudi, the brain behind the show,
he developed his inspiration from watching the movement of vehicles on video
clips and on the roads. He also said that sometimes, when he is asleep, he
would see these vehicles in his dream, and someone showing and telling him how
they work. He would then quickly put it into writing as soon as he woke up from
sleep in order not to forget the details. He also revealed that sometimes he
would pick a baby?s toy that has refuses to work, loosens its parts and tries
to know the workings of the toy and how to put it to work again.

Unfortunately, Ibobo who is trying to carve a niche for
himself said he came from a poor family background. His mother who is a widow,
lives in Otolokpo village, while he lives with is elder auto mechanic brother
in a two-room apartment at Upper
Queen Street, Agbor. He said he believes he can do
much more than he is doing now if he could get the much needed assistance to go
to a better school where he can learn more about his line of career. He
appealed to kind spirited individuals and co-operate organizations, to come to
his aid and help him realize his dream, even as he promised to make not only
Ika nation proud, but Nigerians in general.

Master Ibobo?s workshop is in front of house No. 39,
Upper Queen Street Agbor. His mobile phone number, given to him by an
individual, is +234-702-597-0048

Ika Weekly newspaper is thinking of organizing an
exhibition on behalf of the wonder boy, to enable him demonstrate his
masterpiece for the people of Ika to see, and to find possible avenues of
assisting him in his chosen career.